Georgia County Distress Index
Financial distress scores for all 159 counties in Georgia, scored 0–100 across five domains. A county's score is the share of U.S. counties it is more distressed than; the average Georgia county scores 75.8. 108 counties score high, very high, or extreme.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Urban Institute, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts | Scores as of Aug 2026
Georgia Snapshot
159 Counties Scored
75.8 Mean Score
82.5 Median Score
99 Dougherty County Most Distressed
1 Oconee County Least Distressed
46 extreme county distress43 very high county distress19 high county distress16 moderate-high county distress11 moderate county distress13 moderate-low county distress8 low-moderate county distress1 low county distress2 exceptionally low county distress
Score Label Distribution Georgia County Map
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Low county distress Moderate-low county distress Moderate county distress High county distress Extreme county distress
All 159 Georgia counties colored by county distress score range. Hover for details; click released counties for full reports.
Most & Least Distressed
Most Distressed
Least Distressed
Score Distribution
How Georgia's 159 county scores are distributed across the 0–100 scale.
All Georgia Counties
159 counties ranked by distress score. Click column headers to sort.
| State Rank | Nat'l Rank | County | Score | Score Label | Primary Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Dougherty County | 99 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 2 | 8 | Hancock County | 99 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 3 | 21 | Talbot County | 99 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 4 | 22 | Bibb County | 99 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 5 | 32 | Richmond County | 99 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 6 | 34 | Terrell County | 98 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 7 | 44 | Early County | 98 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 8 | 49 | Clayton County | 98 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 9 | 58 | Brooks County | 98 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 10 | 60 | Mitchell County | 98 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 11 | 68 | Twiggs County | 97 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 12 | 69 | Burke County | 97 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 13 | 83 | Sumter County | 97 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 14 | 87 | Randolph County | 97 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 15 | 97 | Worth County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 16 | 98 | Wilkinson County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 17 | — | Ben Hill County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 18 | — | McDuffie County | 96 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 19 | — | Crisp County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 20 | — | Muscogee County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 21 | — | Baldwin County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 22 | — | Spalding County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 23 | — | Ware County | 96 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 24 | — | Macon County | 95 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 25 | — | Washington County | 95 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 26 | — | Quitman County | 95 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 27 | — | Decatur County | 94 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 28 | — | Taylor County | 94 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 29 | — | Turner County | 94 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 30 | — | Screven County | 94 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 31 | — | Taliaferro County | 94 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 32 | — | Seminole County | 94 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 33 | — | Baker County | 94 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 34 | — | Jefferson County | 93 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 35 | — | Miller County | 93 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 36 | — | Liberty County | 92 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 37 | — | Clay County | 92 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 38 | — | Stewart County | 91 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 39 | — | Upson County | 91 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 40 | — | Lowndes County | 91 | extreme county distress | Default & Legal |
| 41 | — | Warren County | 91 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 42 | — | Charlton County | 91 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 43 | — | Newton County | 91 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 44 | — | Rockdale County | 90 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 45 | — | Telfair County | 90 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 46 | — | Evans County | 90 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 47 | — | Marion County | 89 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 48 | — | McIntosh County | 89 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 49 | — | Clinch County | 89 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 50 | — | Cook County | 89 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 51 | — | Laurens County | 89 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 52 | — | Chattooga County | 89 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 53 | — | Wilkes County | 88 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 54 | — | Coffee County | 88 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 55 | — | Wayne County | 88 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 56 | — | Lanier County | 88 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 57 | — | Emanuel County | 88 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 58 | — | Calhoun County | 87 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 59 | — | Grady County | 87 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 60 | — | Meriwether County | 87 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 61 | — | Stephens County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 62 | — | Toombs County | 87 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 63 | — | Atkinson County | 87 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 64 | — | Troup County | 87 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 65 | — | Colquitt County | 86 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 66 | — | Dodge County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 67 | — | Jenkins County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 68 | — | Carroll County | 86 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 69 | — | Treutlen County | 85 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 70 | — | Webster County | 85 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 71 | — | Dooly County | 85 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 72 | — | Thomas County | 85 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 73 | — | Polk County | 85 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 74 | — | Heard County | 85 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 75 | — | Peach County | 85 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 76 | — | Candler County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 77 | — | Jeff Davis County | 83 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 78 | — | Pulaski County | 83 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 79 | — | Douglas County | 82 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 80 | — | Elbert County | 82 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 81 | — | DeKalb County | 82 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 82 | — | Bulloch County | 81 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 83 | — | Johnson County | 81 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 84 | — | Floyd County | 81 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 85 | — | Chatham County | 81 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 86 | — | Tattnall County | 80 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 87 | — | Bacon County | 80 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 88 | — | Bleckley County | 80 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 89 | — | Tift County | 80 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 90 | — | Henry County | 79 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 91 | — | Berrien County | 79 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 92 | — | Wilcox County | 79 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 93 | — | Crawford County | 79 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 94 | — | Clarke County | 78 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 95 | — | Appling County | 77 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 96 | — | Brantley County | 76 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 97 | — | Murray County | 76 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 98 | — | Walker County | 76 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 99 | — | Wheeler County | 75 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 100 | — | Jasper County | 74 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 101 | — | Franklin County | 74 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 102 | — | Irwin County | 73 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 103 | — | Montgomery County | 72 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 104 | — | Long County | 71 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 105 | — | Glynn County | 71 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 106 | — | Pierce County | 70 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 107 | — | Chattahoochee County | 70 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 108 | — | Walton County | 70 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 109 | — | Whitfield County | 69 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 110 | — | Gordon County | 68 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 111 | — | Putnam County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 112 | — | Lamar County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 113 | — | Madison County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 114 | — | Schley County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 115 | — | Bartow County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 116 | — | Butts County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 117 | — | Camden County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 118 | — | Glascock County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 119 | — | Echols County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 120 | — | Gwinnett County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 121 | — | Haralson County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 122 | — | Fulton County | 63 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 123 | — | Houston County | 63 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 124 | — | Lincoln County | 62 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 125 | — | Barrow County | 59 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 126 | — | Oglethorpe County | 58 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 127 | — | Jones County | 58 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 128 | — | Hart County | 57 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 129 | — | Paulding County | 56 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 130 | — | Catoosa County | 54 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 131 | — | Hall County | 53 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 132 | — | Morgan County | 53 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 133 | — | Pickens County | 51 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 134 | — | Fannin County | 50 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 135 | — | Towns County | 50 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 136 | — | Dade County | 48 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 137 | — | Effingham County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 138 | — | Monroe County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 139 | — | Lee County | 46 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 140 | — | White County | 46 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 141 | — | Cobb County | 46 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 142 | — | Pike County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 143 | — | Lumpkin County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 144 | — | Habersham County | 44 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 145 | — | Coweta County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 146 | — | Greene County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 147 | — | Banks County | 42 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 148 | — | Gilmer County | 40 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 149 | — | Rabun County | 37 | low-moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 150 | — | Fayette County | 36 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 151 | — | Jackson County | 36 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 152 | — | Harris County | 34 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 153 | — | Bryan County | 33 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 154 | — | Union County | 32 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 155 | — | Columbia County | 32 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 156 | — | Dawson County | 32 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 157 | — | Cherokee County | 22 | low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 158 | — | Forsyth County | 5 | exceptionally low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 159 | 3,104 | Oconee County | 1 | exceptionally low county distress | Default & Legal |
How County Scores Work
Each county is scored 0–100 using five equal-weighted domains. Each domain averages its member indicators' county ranks, the domains are averaged, and that average is ranked against every U.S. county. So a county's score is the share of U.S. counties it is more distressed than. National ranks are shown only for the 100 most and 100 least distressed counties, because ranks in between move between updates. Counties with identical composite scores share a rank, marked T- for tied.
extreme county distress — 46 Georgia counties
very high county distress — 43 Georgia counties
high county distress — 19 Georgia counties
moderate-high county distress — 16 Georgia counties
moderate county distress — 11 Georgia counties
moderate-low county distress — 13 Georgia counties
low-moderate county distress — 8 Georgia counties
low county distress — 1 Georgia county
very low county distress — 0 Georgia counties
exceptionally low county distress — 2 Georgia counties